What I'm Reading DECEMBER 2013

[Larry]

One of the things I'm most thankful for is stacks and stacks of unread books, either physical or virtual! I'm still reading Jim Kristofic's Navajos Wear Nikes: A Reservation Life, along with Nicholas Dawidoff's Collision Low Crossers: A Year Inside the Turbulent World of NFL Football and James Lee Burke's Jolie Blon's Bounce.

[Sheila]

Just started Jim Crace's All That Follows with Harvest waiting in the wings

[Charles]

Probably not likely to start anything new this month. In addition to the holidays and family stuff, I have to proof galleys and build an index. But... still chewing on Caro's biography of Johnson. This part is interesting because it is populated by political figures I remember, but in their early careers, not as I remember them. Also chewing on The Luminaries, Year Zero: A History of 1945, and Consider the Fork: How Technology Transforms the Way We Cook and Eat -- If I get that far it will be a wonder.

[Robert]

Burned through the next five Nero Wolfe books. Interesting how Stout began asserting more liberal attitudes towards race and ethnicity, because some of the early volumes have an occasional Neanderthal comment from Archie.

[Larry]

Charles wrote: "Probably not likely to start anything new this month. In addition to the holidays and family stuff, I have to proof galleys and build an index. But... still chewing on Caro's biography of Johnson. ..."

Glad to see you back, Charles. I have all four of the Caro volumes on LBJ and have read a few chapters. The overall length of the whole series just seems so daunting.

[John]

For those interested in memoirs, and more specifically the issue of hoarding, I'm halfway through Coming Clean: A Memoir, which is well written, but tough to read as the author's life is grim - fleas, rats, etc. as a result of her father's problem.

[Kat]

I see Archie as the "common man" who (mostly) gets educated by NW and experience to more thoughtful attitudes.

[Joan]

Reading Woe to Live onby Daniel Woodrell. This is his second book, the subject of which is the Missouri-Kansas border wars. A brutal story, lyrically told. Woodrell became known with "Winter Bone" especially after the film was released. I love his work.

[Cateline]

Joan, I loved the film Winter Bone, but have only read Woodrell's The Bayou Trilogy: Under the Bright Lights, Muscle for the Wing, and The Ones You Do (excellent, btw).

I wondered if the film WB was close to the book? Or, in reality, just how far off is it? :)

[Joan]

I thought the film followed the book quite faithfully, but there's no way to replicate Woodrell's remarkable language. I liked his early book "Give Us a Kiss" the most of all of his books.

[Muriel]

I'm reading TONY BLAIR, A JOURNEY.

[Sully]

I'm reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It's filled with raw emotion and the seemingly unending trials thrown at the protagonist. I am really enjoying it.

[Charles]

Sully wrote: "I'm reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It's filled with raw emotion and the seemingly unending trials thrown at the protagonist. I am really enjoying it."

Ah! I was wondering about the Tartt book, whether I would take it on just now with everything else. Thank you.

[Cateline]

Joan wrote: "I thought the film followed the book quite faithfully, but there's no way to replicate Woodrell's remarkable language. I liked his early book "Give Us a Kiss" the most of all of his books."

Thanks. :)

[Deniz]

Just finished "The Ocean At The End Of The Lane" by Neil Galman. It was a quick yet mind-jolting read. I loved it. I'm currently reading "The Lowland" by Jhumpa Lahiri and hope to read "A House In The Sky" by Amanda Lindhout.

[Sam]

Embarrassingly I am reading (for the first time) "The Lord of the Rings 1-3" (Tolkien), "Hyperion"(Simmons), "Let the Dog Drive" (Bowman)... Then I have to find stuff to stall me to Christmas Eve, when I'm going to drink wine and coffee and read "A Christmas Carol"(Dickens).

[Cateline]

I'm going back to The Penultimate Truth by Philip K. Dick. I'd started a while back, then put it aside for something else a couple of books ago.

[Paakhi]

I have started reading Aristrotle n Dante discover the secrets of the universe

[Scott]

Just finished Out of Sight by Elmore Leonard and it was classic Leonard. Great dialogue with funny, interesting characters and a story that keeps the pace moving well.

On to Incident at Twenty-Mile by Trevanian which has promise, only about 30 pages in so far but like it so far. Haven't read many westerns so this should be a fun, quick read.

Plan on getting through The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño this month which has gotten pretty universal good reviews.

[Jane]

John, I may just try the memoir you suggested. I enjoy memoirs, and often find your suggestions intriguing. I guess it might inspire purging of excess belongings?

[John]

Thanks, Jane! Her story is a rather sad one, although she's a fighter and I understand she's doing well now. After this one, I have another memoir next on my TBR pile: This Is How You Say Goodbye: A Daughter's Memoir, which should prove less ... intense, though moving.

[Jane]

Have your read Cheryl Strayed's book? For the most part I was fascinated.

[John]

No, but I have considered it.

[Cateline]

Jane wrote: "Have your read Cheryl Strayed's book? For the most part I was fascinated."

My husband read Strayed's book, and said it was excellent reading. It hasn't gotten to the top of my pile yet, but will.

[Beth]

I'm reading The Big Sleep. It's my first Chandler, and I'm really enjoying it.

[Sheila]

Beth, Glad you are enjoying the Chandler. I loved reading The Big Sleep sometime ago after being a lifelong fan of the movie, although I have to say keeping up with it on audio requires concentration. I had this vague plan to read all the classic noir novels which got derailed when I discovered ScandiNoir and I think I also read Farewell My Lovely but sadly I can't remember too much about it now. But last month I took a dip into Hammett Dashiel with Red Harvest which I have to say may be very definitive of the genre - private investigator, town political corruption etc - great plot. Any other suggestions for the genre anyone?

[Andrew]

I'm ploughing through some fairly engaging fantasy with The Warded Man. It lost points for featuring a plucky farmboy marked out for greater things on the very first page, but it's picked up and is now bucking my early low expectations.

After that, @Scott's post up above reminds me that I too have an unread copy of Elmore Leonard's Out of Sight on my TBR pile, bought on the spur of the moment shortly after his passing. That'll be next.

[Shrestha]

I'm reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and m really enjoying it. Especially, Hermione and Dobby is my favourite character. I wish having girlfriend like Hermione ;P.

[Cateline]

Just noticed that The Son by Philipp Meyer and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt are on sale with Amazon...kindle editions are 2.99 USD. I thought some might be interested. :)

[Roxanne]

Jane wrote: "Have your read Cheryl Strayed's book? For the most part I was fascinated."

I read Strayed's book, and have just finished listening to

A House in the Sky - which is the story of Amanda Lindhout's kidnapping in Somalia. Amazing woman and listening to her tell her story via her audiobook was riveting.

[Charles]

Sheila wrote: " But last month I took a dip into Hammett Dashiel with Red Harvest which I have to say may be very definitive of the genre - private investigator, town political corruption etc - great plot. Any other suggestions for the genre anyone?"

Hammett's Red Harvest is not, to my thinking, quite the fullness of the noir genre. It comes from the early Black Mask period and utilizes his first PI narrator the Continental Op. There are proto-hardboiled elements here, particularly the use of violence to generate clues and effect a resolution, but for his time the Op is introspective and maintains an unusually moral stance with regard to corrupt society and what is necessary to accommodate it. Hammett was the first to explore this, but his only really pure and unqualified success in this mode was the Maltese Falcon, with PI Sam Spade. It was Chandler who was the most consistent realization of the noir tradition over a career.

Other good noir novels are John Buchan's Hannay trilogy (1919, noir elements), novels by Kenneth Fearing and Graham Greene, Nabokov's Bend Sinister, Leonardo Sciascia (contemporary), the very early Perry Mason novels (surprisingly).

Noir is firstly a film phenomenon, however, and there are a great many more examples there. Amost every detective movie between 1940-1950 might be called in some respect noir.

[Charles]

I suppose I ought not get away without mentioning Hammett's The Dain Curse.

[Larry]

Cateline wrote: "Just noticed that The Son by Philipp Meyer and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt are on sale with Amazon...kindle editions are 2.99 USD. I thought some might be interest..."

Cateline, I saw the special on THE GOLDFINCH a few days ago and grabbed it right away. I thoroughly recommend THE SON. It is an amazing read.

[Larry]

Charles wrote: "Hammett's Red Harvest is not, to my thinking, quite the fullness of the noir genre. It comes from the early Black Mask period and utilizes his first PI narrator the Continental Op. There are proto-hardboiled elements here, particularly the use of violence to generate clues and effect a resolution..."

Charles, thanks so much for this posting. So much info in it.

[Cateline]

Larry wrote: "Cateline wrote: "Just noticed that The Son by Philipp Meyer and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt are on sale with Amazon...kindle editions are 2.99 USD. I thought some ..."

Larry, that is what I remembered....Thanks. :)

[Ruth]

Charles wrote: "I suppose I ought not get away without mentioning Hammett's The Dain Curse."

Arkk! I should read more carefully. At first I mentally inserted an "r" into the second word, and thought perhaps this book would help with our plumbing problems.

[Joan]

I am reading Joseph Epstein's "Essays in Biography". Reading Epstein is like drinking vintage wine or enjoying a gourmet meal. In this book, he tackles individuals ranging from George Washington to Alfred Kinsey and much between with his customary combination of erudition and elan.

[Sara]

Cateline wrote: "Just noticed that The Son by Philipp Meyer and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt are on sale with Amazon...kindle editions are 2.99 USD. I thought some might be interest..."

Looking forward to both--I have them on audiobook.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Cateline wrote: "Just noticed that The Son by Philipp Meyer and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt are on sale with Amazon...kindle editions are 2.99 USD. I thought some might be interest..."

Thanks, Cateline. Have no idea when I'll get to it, but at $2.99, how can I resist that Kindle deal.

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Ruth wrote: "Charles wrote: "I suppose I ought not get away without mentioning Hammett's The Dain Curse."

Arkk! I should read more carefully. At first I mentally inserted an "r" into the second word, and thou..."

HEE HEE!!

[Sherry, Doyenne]

Ended up buying The Son, too. Sigh. When will I ever get to all of them?!

[Roxanne]

Sherry wrote: "Ended up buying The Son, too. Sigh. When will I ever get to all of them?!"

Larry wrote: "Cateline wrote: "Just noticed that The Son by Philipp Meyer and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt are on sale with Amazon...kindle editions are 2.99 USD. I thought some ..."

In my humble opinion - The Goldfinch was fabulous the first half but really lost it the second half - in a big way. However, The Son was thoroughly great, and opened my eyes to much of that time and place.

[Beth]

Sheila wrote: "Beth, Glad you are enjoying the Chandler. I loved reading The Big Sleep sometime ago after being a lifelong fan of the movie, although I have to say keeping up with it on audio requires concentrati..."

I can see how it would be difficult to follow--sometimes his slang is too obscure for me. But I love the imagery he uses. Occasionally I read one aloud to my husband--bits that particularly tickle me.

I'm interested in reading more in the genre, so I look forward to seeing other people's suggestions!

[Beth]

Larry wrote: "Charles wrote: "Hammett's Red Harvest is not, to my thinking, quite the fullness of the noir genre. It comes from the early Black Mask period and utilizes his first PI narrator the Continental Op. ..."


Yes, thank you!

[Cateline]

Sara wrote: "Looking forward to both--I have them on audiobook."

That's great! :)

Sherry wrote: "Ended up buying The Son, too. Sigh. When will I ever get to all of them?!"

Hah, know what you mean. I should cancel my Amazon notification (of deals) e-mails! Not! :)

[Sheila]

Charles,

I come to reading Noir from the movie side, loving The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, The Night of the Hunter, Touch of Evil, Brighton Rock, Third Man, Killers, Mildred Pierce, Chinatown, LA Confidential, Devil in a Blue Dress, Blade Runner, Strange Days etc etc So you see I use the term noir quite broadly to cover modern and neo noir as well as classic noir of the 30-40s.

I am always interested in reading series in order to see how the writer develops his/her style and characters. Dain Curse is on the list. I read the more popular Buchan in my youth, only saw Perry Mason on TV so never really associated those with Noir and do not know Leondardo Sciascia so will investigate, thanks for the tip, - there is another Italian detective series which has been on UK TV but I missed it all and I don't think it is by this man.

Returning to the point about series - on reflection it is interesting to see which ones grab me so much that I have to read all I can get hold of before moving onto another writer - that's the reason I got distracted by Scandi Noir - First I read all the Steig Larsen books, then stumbled across a paperback of Jo NesboThe Redeemer and was completely caught up in the series. Does this happen to you?

Ruth - Ha Ha :) I liked the word play.

[Charles]

Sheila, yes it does. Unfortunately I am seldom able to follow through, and too often after four or five of the (detective novels in series) they come to seem just another one of the same. A series developing at present that looks promising is by Michael Walker.

The early Perry Mason is very different. Perry is a borderline shyster somewhat like Sam Spade. He is clearly sleeping with Della Street, and Paul is a common thug.

Leonardo Sciascia's novels (and he also, personally) are about the struggle to suppress the Sicilian Mafia. Very dark, and thrillingly literary.

[Sheila]

Charles, I checked out Leonardo Sciascia and my Library system has 2 of his books available but none at my local library (A Simple Story and La scomparsa di Majorana) Sadly I don't think my Italian is up to reading the second of these :)

As for Michael Walker, I am not finding reference to him or anything by him , but I did find a Martin Walker for whom my library system has Black Diamond and Bruno, Chief Of Police but again sadly neither actually in my local library

I can see my to be read list growing already! Sounds like you'd recommend the Sciascia?

[Charles]

Well, Sheila, Martin Walker is the right name. I've made this mistake before. The novels by Sciascia you want are The Day of the Owl, Equal Danger, and To Each His Own. They are all available from NYRB (=New York Review of Books). I actually bought then in Malta, where I made a very embarrassing mistake. His name is pronounced ShaSha. I won't tell you what I said, but it was similar to saying Tuckson when I first moved to the West Coast. That's all right. There's those Whaamatomiehoitfeva names you find in Massachussets and Kkutalatulameoitpi in Hawaii which I've bungled.

[Sheila]

Sorry, Charles the Tuckson etc thing is lost on me